Squatting / Help Please

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branflakes1980
branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have recently been trying to incorporate different squats and trying to squat deeper (because dat a** and all)(and holy wow that sounds much more sexual that I thought it would :blushing: ) I have been running into a slight problem. When I am doing back squats (barbell on upper back / traps) and I squat below parallel my left knee does some highly irregular stuff ya'll. No pain, but once I am below parallel, the outer side of my left knee cap feels almost like there is a rubberband in there and it is stretching almost to the point of it breaking. Like I said, it does not hurt at all, but it is extremely akward and uncomfortable (heebie jeebie kind of uncomfortable). I really can't think of a different way to explain how it feels other than that.

By the off chance, does this or has this happened to anyone else? If so what on earth is it, and more importantly how do I make it stop.

thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • ncrugbyprop
    ncrugbyprop Posts: 96 Member
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    A simple answer without being able to observe your form is flexability. If you have regularly trained to a parallel or half squat position, the muscle and tendons have adapted to this range of motion and going to a full squat requires them to stretch further. Go light with the loads and see if the issue begins to correct itself. Full squats take a significant amount of hip, knee, & ankle flexability but that shouldn't be an issue as your body adapts.
  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
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    Focus on mobility exercises and stretching. Also make sure you're adequately warming up before getting into your sets. I almost always do about 20 air squats and then about 10 with the bar before I even begin ramping up to my working sets.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    W/o seeing it's hard to say.

    My other thought is- get one of those resistence bands, put around both legs and squat with the band just above the knee- so you can tell that you are pressing out while squatting.

    help give you an idea of really shoving the knees out- although that to be fair- is an ankle/hip thing- the cue is knees out.

    Make sure are turning out from the top of the hip all the way down to the ankle- you can get your knee way out- but if you're hip doesn't open with it- you're going to be aiming for some issues.
  • Chaskavitch
    Chaskavitch Posts: 172 Member
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    I definitely had to lower my weight when I started going below parallel with my squats. That extra 2 inches makes a TON of difference.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I definitely had to lower my weight when I started going below parallel with my squats. That extra 2 inches makes a TON of difference.

    that's what she said.
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
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    I definitely had to lower my weight when I started going below parallel with my squats. That extra 2 inches makes a TON of difference.

    that's what she said.

    *snort*
  • woodml1
    woodml1 Posts: 199 Member
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    I agree with the suggestion to lower the weight. Your post doesn't say if you're still in a parallel foot position or not. I like to turn my toes slightly out for deep squats. I'm also a big fan of goblet squats with a heavy dumbbell and weighted cross-over step-ups for glute development. I have an entire resistance workout each week dedicated to glutes and try to do the better half of my cardio on a step mill or Arc trainer to boost dat too!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
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    I have zero expertise with this, so taking my thoughts with a heaping tablespoon of salt ...

    I was reading up on ITB (Iliotibial band) injuries a couple of days ago, and what you describe sounds like what the sources described as the beginning of an ITB injury. They described the feeling you're having as being the precursor to the band becoming irritated.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    I definitely had to lower my weight when I started going below parallel with my squats. That extra 2 inches makes a TON of difference.

    that's what she said.

    *snort*
    That's how I survived college.

    *badumtish*
  • _errata_
    _errata_ Posts: 1,653 Member
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    I have recently been trying to incorporate different squats and trying to squat deeper (because dat a** and all)(and holy wow that sounds much more sexual that I thought it would :blushing: ) I have been running into a slight problem. When I am doing back squats (barbell on upper back / traps) and I squat below parallel my left knee does some highly irregular stuff ya'll. No pain, but once I am below parallel, the outer side of my left knee cap feels almost like there is a rubberband in there and it is stretching almost to the point of it breaking. Like I said, it does not hurt at all, but it is extremely akward and uncomfortable (heebie jeebie kind of uncomfortable). I really can't think of a different way to explain how it feels other than that.

    By the off chance, does this or has this happened to anyone else? If so what on earth is it, and more importantly how do I make it stop.

    thanks in advance :flowerforyou:

    That sounds like your ACL or LCL about to snap... which is serious business. You need to do what is comfortable for you first and foremost. Snap City is a real place and needs to be avoided. I recommend these videos if you need help with form:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ME8gEN54Ao

    And if you would like people actually examine your form, take some video and stop by this place for form critique:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
  • tiffanywagner89
    tiffanywagner89 Posts: 2
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    Are you making sure your knees are aligned behind your toes? If they're going over, you could be putting some un-wanted stress onto your ACL, MCL, LCL, take your pick of the "rubberband" you are feeling... If the weight is too heavy along with bad alignment, your patella could also have some bad tracking patterns, putting stress on your knees. I would focus on doing squats with little to no weight to perfect your form first, so you're not trying to control form along with heavy weight and put your knees at risk.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
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    Thank you everyone for the advice. I really appreciate it. You all are the best. :flowerforyou:
  • Chaskavitch
    Chaskavitch Posts: 172 Member
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    I definitely had to lower my weight when I started going below parallel with my squats. That extra 2 inches makes a TON of difference.

    that's what she said.

    *snort*
    That's how I survived college.

    *badumtish*

    ...I wish I'd come back to this thread earlier, lol :)

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